Burna Boy, Tems land three VMAs nods as Afrobeats category is scrapped
The Nigerian stars earn three nominations between them, while the Best Afrobeats category disappears from this year’s awards after three years.
Nigerian Afrobeats stars Burna Boy and Tems will represent the country at the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs), securing three nominations between them as the awards return to Los Angeles later this year.
Burna Boy, whose real name is Damini Ogulu, received two nominations for “Dai Dai”, his collaboration with Colombian superstar Shakira and the official song of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The Grammy-winning singer is nominated for Best Collaboration, where he will compete against Clipse, Kendrick Lamar, Pusha T and Malice for “Chains & Whips”; French Montana and Max B for “Ever Since U Left Me”; Madonna and Sabrina Carpenter for “Bring Your Love”; PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson for “Stateside”; and Teyana Taylor and Lucky Daye for “Hard Part.”
“Dai Dai” also earned Burna Boy a nomination in the Best Latin category, placing him alongside Anitta and Shakira, Bad Bunny, Fuerza Regida, Karol G, Rosalía featuring Yahritza y Su Esencia, and Ryan Castro, Kapo and Gangsta.
Tems, whose full name is Temilade Openiyi, earned her nomination in the Best R&B category for “Raindance”, her collaboration with British rapper Dave.
She will compete against Bruno Mars’ “I Just Might”, Chris Brown’s “It Depends/Obvious”, Justin Bieber’s “Yukon”, Kehlani’s “Folded”, and Mariah the Scientist and Kali Uchis’ “Is It a Crime.”
The nominations were announced on Tuesday ahead of the 2026 ceremony, scheduled to take place at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles on September 27.
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The recognition gives both Nigerian artists another opportunity to strengthen their presence on one of the world’s biggest music award stages, following years of growing international attention on Afrobeats and Nigerian music.
However, this year’s nominations also mark a notable change for the genre, with the Best Afrobeats category absent from the 2026 VMAs.
The category was introduced at the VMAs in 2023 and had become one of the most visible international award categories dedicated specifically to the growing African sound.
South African singer Tyla won the award in 2025 with “Push 2 Start”, beating Nigerian nominees Burna Boy, Wizkid, Rema, Tems and Asake.
Tyla also won the category in 2024 with “Water”, while Rema and Selena Gomez took the inaugural award in 2023 for their global hit “Calm Down.”
The omission comes as Nigerian and other African artists continue to secure nominations across broader international categories, rather than being confined to a dedicated Afrobeats category. Elsewhere, Madonna leads the 2026 VMAs nominations with 11 nods, while Taylor Swift follows with nine.
Fans will be able to vote in most categories daily until September 25 at 6 p.m. ET. The ceremony will be broadcast live on CBS, with a simulcast on MTV and streaming on Paramount+.
Established in 1984, the MTV Video Music Awards recognise artists, songs and music videos across multiple categories and are known for their distinctive Moonperson trophy and often unconventional live performances.
For Burna Boy and Tems, the 2026 nominations add another chapter to Nigeria’s growing representation at the global awards, even as the disappearance of the Best Afrobeats category raises questions about how the genre will be represented at future editions of the VMAs.
